VITAL STATISTICS

Wine details

At release, the wine has a deep red colour with a purple hue to the edge. The wine has complex and enticing bouquet of dark berry fruit along with juicy black plum, spice, cedar and hints of licorice, chocolate and roasted coffee. On the palate, the wine is rich and complex with layers of flavour. Dark berry fruits combine with lashings of coffee, chocolate and spice from high quality oak. The fruit and oak weight create a multidimensional palate which is defined with well-balanced, elegant tannins. This is a very generous wine with textural complexity and long, persistent flavours.

Once harvested, the grapes for this wine were taken the short distance to the winery where they were gently de-stemmed to protect the vibrant fruit characters and minimise any maceration and extraction of harsh tannins. The fruit was then transferred to headless barrels and inoculated with a specialist Shiraz yeast strain for fermentation. The fermenting must was hand-plunged twice daily to aid gentle extraction and then the wine was left to soak on skins for a further 2 weeks. Once pressed, the wine was then transferred back to the same oak barrels to complete its secondary malolactic fermentation. After completing malolactic fermentation, the wine was racked off lees prior to final blending. The blended wine was then transferred to high quality water-bent American oak barrels and matured for 18 months prior to filtering and bottling in June 2016.

The growing season in the lead up to vintage 2014 saw average autumn and winter rainfalls on the Taylor family Clare Valley estate vineyards. During winter, the average daily maximum temperature was in line with long term averages, resulting in the first budburst occurring at the normal time of late August. The rainfall for spring was below average; however vine vigour was still good due to the presence of subsurface moisture from regular winter rains. During the first week of December there was a cool change and 16 mm of rain fell. This provided the vines with welcome opportunity to 'freshen up'. The remainder of December and the first half of January were dry and warm with thankfully no heatwaves due to regular cool changes. From mid-January to mid-February however, hot conditions prevailed which delayed veraison. Harvest commenced relatively early due to hot conditions through most of January and February. On February 14 the hot conditions and indeed harvest were both bought to a sudden stop by a big downpour of rain. For the remainder of February conditions were mild with daytime temperatures cooler than average. These cooler conditions retained acid levels in grapes and slowed sugar development thus crucially allowed time for the all-important flavours to develop. The mild conditions continued through March, allowing ideal, even tannin and flavour development to occur in the red varieties.

Winemaker NotesAt release, the wine has a deep red colour with a purple hue to the edge. The wine has complex and enticing bouquet of dark berry fruit along with juicy black plum, spice, cedar and hints of licorice, chocolate and roasted coffee. On the palate, the wine is rich and complex with layers of flavour. Dark berry fruits combine with lashings of coffee, chocolate and spice from high quality oak. The fruit and oak weight create a multidimensional palate which is defined with well-balanced, elegant tannins. This is a very generous wine with textural complexity and long, persistent flavours.

Once harvested, the grapes for this wine were taken the short distance to the winery where they were gently de-stemmed to protect the vibrant fruit characters and minimise any maceration and extraction of harsh tannins. The fruit was then transferred to headless barrels and inoculated with a specialist Shiraz yeast strain for fermentation. The fermenting must was hand-plunged twice daily to aid gentle extraction and then the wine was left to soak on skins for a further 2 weeks. Once pressed, the wine was then transferred back to the same oak barrels to complete its secondary malolactic fermentation. After completing malolactic fermentation, the wine was racked off lees prior to final blending. The blended wine was then transferred to high quality water-bent American oak barrels and matured for 18 months prior to filtering and bottling in June 2016.

The growing season in the lead up to vintage 2014 saw average autumn and winter rainfalls on the Taylor family Clare Valley estate vineyards. During winter, the average daily maximum temperature was in line with long term averages, resulting in the first budburst occurring at the normal time of late August. The rainfall for spring was below average; however vine vigour was still good due to the presence of subsurface moisture from regular winter rains. During the first week of December there was a cool change and 16 mm of rain fell. This provided the vines with welcome opportunity to 'freshen up'. The remainder of December and the first half of January were dry and warm with thankfully no heatwaves due to regular cool changes. From mid-January to mid-February however, hot conditions prevailed which delayed veraison. Harvest commenced relatively early due to hot conditions through most of January and February. On February 14 the hot conditions and indeed harvest were both bought to a sudden stop by a big downpour of rain. For the remainder of February conditions were mild with daytime temperatures cooler than average. These cooler conditions retained acid levels in grapes and slowed sugar development thus crucially allowed time for the all-important flavours to develop. The mild conditions continued through March, allowing ideal, even tannin and flavour development to occur in the red varieties.

Clare Valley

Acid: 6.51

Alc %: 14.15

PH: 3.63

Residual Sugar: 0.63

This wine is evolving well at release yet should cellar well to 2029 or possibly longer

EXPERT APPRAISALS

Reviews

New Release Tasting

Glen Frederiksen,

10 Jan 2016

95/100 Hedonistic

An opaque dark purple in the glass, lightening to a bright crimson at the rim. Scents of black pepper and eucalyptus lace fleshy mulberry, black plum, and blackberry fruit. Velvety on the palate, it fills the mouth with thick black berry fruits, licorice, and a note of mocha. The long after-flavor is fruit-driven, picking up a piquant blueberry syrup note that goes on and on. This is a delicious wine now, and should drink well for another 15 years or longer. Try with teriyaki glazed red meats off the grill.

Robert Whitley, Three Tips for Holiday Feasting

11 Jan 2016

95/100

This hot-rod Shiraz from Taylors is a showy wine that dazzles consistently from vintage to vintage. The 2014 is rich and layered, showing aromas of ripe blueberry, blackberry and mulberry, an overlay of eucalyptus and a hint of spice. The finish is seemingly endless, with exceptional persistence of flavor.

Rich Cook, This Issue's Reviews

11 Jan 2016

93/100

One of Taylors's more famous offerings scores again with this vintage, which shows restraint and elegance. A deep nose of black and blue berries with intriguing rather than in-your-face menthol, orange blossom and spice notes that translate nicely into palate flavors, riding a supple texture through a long and satisfying finish that brings a touch of sweet citrus forward.

Isaac Baker,

1 Jan 2017

91/100

Deep purple color. Aromas of deep currants, blueberries, dark plums, along with black pepper, grilled steak, rich earth and eucalyptus. Full but smooth, plush but fresh, ripe fruit (blueberry and blackberry) combines with fleshy tannins and vibrant acidity, and the fruit maintains a fresh edge. Lots of earth, soy, pepper, tobacco, beef jerky. Instantly delicious but complex, with five to ten years of potential development from this wine. Aged 18 months in American oak.

Dark red fruit, fresh tobacco leaf, clove, spice and sandalwood dominate the bouquet. On the palate big flavors of cherry and licorice are on the forefront with a nuance of mint in the background. The finish is lengthy and lavish expressing luxurious layers of texture and tannin in harmony. Rack of lamb with a port reduction sauce served with leek, thyme, and potato gratin will integrate exquisitely with this wine.